Homes England Surpasses Targets with Housing Surge
The government’s housing and regeneration agency beat three key targets for 2024/25 during a pivotal time for housebuilding in England
Provisional figures show that Homes England surpassed its 2024/2025 annual targets, set centrally by government, for the number of new homes started, the number of new homes completed, and the number of potential homes unlocked.
This work is key to supporting the government in delivering 1.5 million homes this parliament.
Homes England colleagues, working in partnership with hundreds of local, regional and national organisations to catalyse housing, regeneration and place-making across the country, have:
- enabled the completion of more than 36,000 homes, up 14% from 2023/24
- facilitated the start of construction for an additional 38,000 homes, up 6% on 2023/24
- unlocked land that is capable of delivering 79,000 further homes, significantly up from 2023/24.
The figures represent a high-level snapshot of progress underpinned by strong performance from across the Agency.
Local leaders are being supported to achieve their housing and regeneration aspirations through targeted interventions including Agency land acquisition, like in Nottingham, boots-on-the-ground expertise in places like York and Bristol, and a rising number of strategic place partnerships, including with the North East Combined Authority, Liverpool City Region and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
New, safe and affordable housing is being delivered, with the Agency on track to ensure every penny of the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme is spent, including recent government top-ups, with numerous projects supported including Union Village in Middlesbrough.
New investment to unlock housing and regeneration projects is being boosted by Agency support and collaboration with the private and public sector, including the affordable-housing, low carbon focused HABIKO housing innovation partnership with Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) and Muse, and master developer joint venture with Oaktree Capital Management and Greycoat Real Estate.
Work to diversify the housing market and back SME homebuilders, including creating new, quality homes through the Home Building Fund by supporting organisations like Wyatt Homes to grow and deliver, and expanding lending initiatives like the Agency’s Greener Homes Alliance with Octopus Real Estate.
Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, said:
Homes England is playing a crucial role in supporting the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million new homes and deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.
Last year I set out ambitious priorities for Homes England and I am pleased that the Agency has exceeded key housebuilding targets to ramp up the delivery of new homes and place-based regeneration. This is alongside backing SME housebuilders and bolstering the government’s wider devolution agenda to unlock much-needed housing and growth.
Pat Ritchie, Chair of Homes England, said:
As the newly appointed Chair of Homes England, I’m proud to see the hard work of the Agency reflected in our 2024/25 performance figures. The team’s passion for housebuilding and regeneration remains its greatest strength, and I’m pleased to see this so clearly demonstrated in these results.
Looking forward, the transformation of the Agency into a more regionally-based model will mean we’re well-placed to support the government’s mission to build 1.5 million homes this parliament.
Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:
Since joining Homes England in January I’ve been continuously impressed with my colleagues’ unwavering dedication to our central mission: to ensure everyone has a place they’re proud to call home.
Our 2024/25 performance figures reflect the Agency’s determination and passion for housing and regeneration. We’ve exceeded our delivery targets by supporting our housebuilding partners to create much-needed new homes and we’ve worked more closely with mayors across the country to champion place-making and drive regional growth.
The provisional performance figures are part of Homes England’s annual report, which will be published this summer.
Notes:
- Figures are rounded. Exact completion figures are 36,757 homes, versus a target of 36,484.
- Figures are rounded. Exact starts figures are 37,782 homes, versus a target of 33,095.
- Figures are rounded. Exact figures are 78,986 further homes versus a target of 59,956.
- ‘Unlocked’ refers to land that is capable of delivering homes.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-figures-show-thousands-more-homes-delivered-across-the-country-as-homes-england-exceeds-targets